Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Best natural preservative for sunscreen

  • Best natural preservative for sunscreen

    Posted by Daniel3359 on March 3, 2019 at 4:46 am

    what is the best preservative for oil and butter based natural sunscreen? Will coconut oil and vitamin e be enough for a long preservation? What about adding colloidal silver water, or raw organic honey?

    JonahRay replied 5 years ago 10 Members · 25 Replies
  • 25 Replies
  • belassi

    Member
    March 3, 2019 at 5:47 am

    I just don’t know where to start talking about this idea. It is bad. Badness, madness, incarnate, in fact. Sunscreens need proper formulation and rigorous testing.

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 3, 2019 at 6:34 am

    It will be tested before marketing just try to use a preservative as close to nature as possible

  • markbroussard

    Member
    March 3, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    @Daniel3359:

    Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, Colloidal Silver Water, Raw Organic Honey … these are not preservatives and won’t preserve anything.  Don’t know where you are getting your information, but it’s incorrect.

    Phenethyl Alcohol will be your best bet.  Check Linatural Ultra-3 from Lincoln Fine Ingredients or Glyceryl Caprylate (and) Glyceryl Undecylenate (VegeCide from Ingredients To Die For) … 

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 3, 2019 at 1:52 pm

    @Daniel3359:

    Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, Colloidal Silver Water, Raw Organic Honey … these are not preservatives and won’t preserve anything.  Don’t know where you are getting your information, but it’s incorrect.

    Phenethyl Alcohol will be your best bet.  Check Linatural Ultra-3 from Lincoln Fine Ingredients or Glyceryl Caprylate (and) Glyceryl Undecylenate (VegeCide from Ingredients To Die For) … 

    thank you Mark, I just want to create primarily a natural sunscreen for my family, if happy with formula and performance I’ll be happy to have a go at marketing, I just notice that coconut oil never spoil, I had one jar sitting in my kitchen for over 1 year and no sign of mould etc so I was thinking coconut oil cold have antibacterial properties, honey also never spoil

    feel free to messaging me privately with a list of your services and costs 

    best regards

    Daniel

  • natzam44

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 12:57 am

    @Daniel3359
    I don’t mean to come off as harsh, but if you thought coconut oil was a preservative then that shows that you are not ready to formulate any kind of cosmetic product.

    I suggest you do some research on preservatives and not focus on making things “natural”.

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 5:36 am

    I strongly believe there are ways to obtain a 100% natural product without chemicals but of course for obvious reasons we have been told by the different lobbies that its impossible. 

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 5:44 am

    natzam44 said:

    @Daniel3359
    I don’t mean to come off as harsh, but if you thought coconut oil was a preservative then that shows that you are not ready to formulate any kind of cosmetic product.

    I suggest you do some research on preservatives and not focus on making things “natural”.

    Please read the story of Jessica Iclisoy 

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2018/07/11/jessica-iclisoy-california-baby-preservative-reformulation-natural/

    I respect your comment but I’m a type of person that doesn’t take no as an answer when I believe in something, I want a 100% natural product and I’ll find a way, it may take years but I’ll get there

  • markbroussard

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 11:55 am

    @Daniel3359:

    I’ve given you two options that will meet your needs.  As I mentioned, you can purchase Vegecide from Ingredients To Die For (a re-packer) of the the bulk manufacturer of the product, Inolex.  If your formula does not contain any water, Vegecide alone will suffice for your preservation requirements.

    You will find a fairly strong anti-natural bias from some members of ChemistsCorner.  I did enjoy the article on Jessica Iclisoy … thanks for posting it.

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 12:44 pm

    @Daniel3359:

    I’ve given you two options that will meet your needs.  As I mentioned, you can purchase Vegecide from Ingredients To Die For (a re-packer) of the the bulk manufacturer of the product, Inolex.  If your formula does not contain any water, Vegecide alone will suffice for your preservation requirements.

    You will find a fairly strong anti-natural bias from some members of ChemistsCorner.  I did enjoy the article on Jessica Iclisoy … thanks for posting it.

    Thanks Mark, will try to get more infos on Vegecide, do you think There will be problems for a product to get approved by FDA and in Europe by using Vegecide alone? Or it just depends if it will pass all the tests? Thanks again

  • microformulation

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 2:12 pm
    I don’t think that there is really a bias against “natural” as much as there is confusion about what “natural” means, but that is an entire thread in and of itself.
    It is possible to preserve a Product in a way that is “naturally compliant” but it really requires using the “Hurdle Approach” as well ensuring that your Production facility follows rigorous cleaning and handling SOP’s. See page 25 of this pdf; http://www.midwestscc.org/blog2/wp-content/uploads/presentations/Jan2012CurrentTrendsinCosmeticPreservation.pdf
    In the end remember that the ONLY way to be 100% confident in your Preservative System, DO TESTING! Get Challenge Testing.

  • markbroussard

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 3:05 pm

    @Daniel3359:

    I’ve given you two options that will meet your needs.  As I mentioned, you can purchase Vegecide from Ingredients To Die For (a re-packer) of the the bulk manufacturer of the product, Inolex.  If your formula does not contain any water, Vegecide alone will suffice for your preservation requirements.

    You will find a fairly strong anti-natural bias from some members of ChemistsCorner.  I did enjoy the article on Jessica Iclisoy … thanks for posting it.

    Thanks Mark, will try to get more infos on Vegecide, do you think There will be problems for a product to get approved by FDA and in Europe by using Vegecide alone? Or it just depends if it will pass all the tests? Thanks again

    That’s why I inquired if your product contained any water or not.  If it is completely anhydrous (no water at all), then “Yes” Vegicide alone would probably do the trick, but that can only be definitively determined by testing, which you are going to have to do under any circumstances since sunscreens are regulated by the FDA as OTC drug products.

  • gunther

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 3:13 pm
  • markbroussard

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    I don’t think that there is really a bias against “natural” as much as there is confusion about what “natural” means, but that is an entire thread in and of itself.

    What “natural” means has been defined many times over by the Natural Products Association, ISO, ECOCert, NSF and various other organizations.  Just because the US FDA or US Federal Government has not defined “natural” does not mean that natural has not been defined … that’s a mischaracterization.  It has indeed been defined, just not by a US government entity, but certainly by other credible entities.  And, companies such as Arm & Hammer have had to revised their packaging based on lawsuits when they were claiming “natural” when their products also contained synthetic ingredients.  So, the US Courts have certainly defined what is “not natural” … hence, they have also defined “natural”.  It’s not terribly confusing.  

  • oldperry

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    @MarkBroussard - I think it is confusing since COSMOS, NSF, NPA, etc all have different standards. The court rulings may have provided a little guidance but it’s still vague as to what is really natural.

    And a non-scientist like @Daniel3359 who seems to believe that natural means “without chemicals” & believes that California Baby makes products without synthetic chemicals (they use lots of synthetic chemicals) is certainly confused. 

    Until someone creates a plant that can grow a tube of lipstick or a coconut in which you can squeeze out body, I contend there are no natural cosmetics.

  • microformulation

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 6:22 pm
    Yes, but to hit on the root issue, when the MAJORITY of lines promote that they are “natural,” they are not referencing a standard, nor are they in many cases even defining the term either “internally” or by following such a standard. Many lines will meet a murky marketing driven “feeling” of what “natural” should mean. In these lines you will often see some cases here and there where they use a raw material not allowed under any credible third party standard (EWax) or a “nature identical product” while declaring confidently to be “100% natural.”
    As a Formulator, this is a barrier to clear R&D which we have to overcome. When the client and I have a clear standard under which to work, we are able to quickly vet raw materials.
    I am a HUGE supporter of the standards. You allude to the dangers of “false advertising” and I would add the FTC Green Guides to a required reading list as well. However many clients, especially start-ups will sometimes have a harder time producing under the NSF and/or USDA NOP Standards. Raw material compliance is easy, it is sourcing the certified manufacturers which adds to the costs. In addition, I don’t believe that any standard has really been successful in gaining any real market recognition. Inside of our small group we have all heard of these standards, but has the typical consumer? In this case the client will define a credible standard in their “story.” Something such as “XYZ Cosmetics avoids the use of {the raw materials with strong market bias} AND uses plant-based materials minimally processed to produce safe and effective products.” As far as what “minimally processed” is, I would reference the COSMOS Standard’s Appendix’s as one of the best objective standards. You need to introduce “naturally occurring minerals” to the standard if you do Sunscreens and Color Cosmetics. I know this is not a perfect “internal” standard, but it is exponentially better than the non-defined “marketing” standard.

    Lastly, I see many lines which are arguably start-ups or emerging lines. I see them look at natural and they feel that their poorly defined standard will make them natural. In turn, being “natural” will set them apart from the rest of the market. Keep in mind that in the emerging markets which many of these lines will sell, EVERYONE is “natural.” It is more of a requirement than a defining advantage. You will be successful based upon looking at performance/safety, great marketing (!!!!) and retail price/profits as well. It is not one dimensional.
  • microformulation

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    @Daniel3359 What is your SPF active?

  • markbroussard

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    Let’s not confuse what product companies say in the marketplace in their marketing pitch as opposed to what are the natural standards.  The natural standards are well established and are generally interchangeable … I don’t see major differences between one natural standard and the other.  All one needs to do is follow them. 

    We are all aware that companies embellish on their claims.  The only way to stop that would be for the government to restrict the use of the word “Natural” in marketing claims to products that have been certified by one of the standards bodies.

  • Schnell_I

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 10:57 pm

    @Daniel3359 I think if you don’t know what a true preservative is and you don’t realize that everything is a chemical. You should probably get outside help when developing something that is supposed to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Regardless if it is aimed to be synthetic or natural. 

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 4, 2019 at 11:38 pm

    @Daniel3359 What is your SPF active?

    Looking for at least 30 spf 

  • markbroussard

    Member
    March 5, 2019 at 11:54 am

    @Daniel3359:

    You’re getting into a relatively expensive undertaking with a commercial sunscreen … the SPF testing alone will run in the $8,000 to $10,000 range and you would have to manufacture in an OTC-registered facility for OTC drug products.  It is not a trivial undertaking to commercialize a sunscreen since it is a highly-regulated product category.

  • Daniel3359

    Member
    March 6, 2019 at 7:24 am

    @Daniel3359:

    I’ve given you two options that will meet your needs.  As I mentioned, you can purchase Vegecide from Ingredients To Die For (a re-packer) of the the bulk manufacturer of the product, Inolex.  If your formula does not contain any water, Vegecide alone will suffice for your preservation requirements.

    You will find a fairly strong anti-natural bias from some members of ChemistsCorner.  I did enjoy the article on Jessica Iclisoy … thanks for posting it.

    Thanks Mark, will try to get more infos on Vegecide, do you think There will be problems for a product to get approved by FDA and in Europe by using Vegecide alone? Or it just depends if it will pass all the tests? Thanks again

    That’s why I inquired if your product contained any water or not.  If it is completely anhydrous (no water at all), then “Yes” Vegicide alone would probably do the trick, but that can only be definitively determined by testing, which you are going to have to do under any circumstances since sunscreens are regulated by the FDA as OTC drug products.

    If a product contain water what preservative you recommend? Something as close as natural as possible or less toxic thanks

  • gunther

    Member
    March 7, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    No offense, but whenever I read “natural preservatives” or “DIY sunscreen SPF”
    I feel like hearing ‘watch this’ in fail videos.

  • microformulation

    Member
    March 7, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    Gunther said:

    No offense, but whenever I read “natural preservatives” or “DIY sunscreen SPF”
    I feel like hearing ‘watch this’ in fail videos.

    You are not alone.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    March 7, 2019 at 10:21 pm

    Less toxic…. preservatives must be toxic, they kill bacteria! Preservatives used in cosmetics are not toxic for humans, especially when used properly.

  • JonahRay

    Member
    March 7, 2019 at 10:36 pm

    This thread is a mess.

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